Many of you probably wonder what it is I do all day when the kids are in school. I have to be honest that I often ponder this too because there are many days that I realize at 4:00 that I have gotten very little done!! I really don't do housework and I only do laundry on the weekends thanks to my ayi!! She also does most of the cooking during the week, so I can't even complain about figuring out meals, which is one of my least favorite things!
So, a lot of time is spent searching for ingredients, supplies, and comfort items. I sometimes have to go to four different import stores before I find sour cream! Also when I do have to buy an appliance or something for the house, it is usually a half day affair. The procedure is such that I first have to point out what I want, then the salesperson will go check in the stock room to see if it is available, then they will take me to the cashier to pay, then I have to present my receipt to someone else and then wait for them to find the actual product. It is tiring and usually results in a headache, but lately I have been successful and gotten the product home!!
Of course, a big chunk of my time is spent with my friends. We love to go to coffee, lunch, and shopping - just like at home!! We can sit for hours discussing our lives here in Tianjin - the good, the bad, and the humorous. We know how difficult the expat life can be, but we try to find all of the positives and if we can't, it's nice to know there is a shoulder to cry on!! Building these relationships has made my Tianjin life so much fuller, so even though I don't check off of my to do list during this time, I know my time has been well spent!!
This year I have also been spending more time at the school. I love being close to the kids and gaining a better understanding of the curriculum. I even subbed for the first time last week. I realized instantly why I decided to teach. I absolutely love watching children learn and discover new things. I love watching their creativity and the way they interact with their peers. I also love guiding their inquiries, and learning with them!! I even briefly thought that maybe it would be a good idea to go back full time to work. By 4:00 those thoughts dissipated when I still had to pass out invitations, go to the grocery store, then an import store to pick up milk, and then help the kids with homework. By 8:00 I was thoroughly exhausted!!
So, I did one of the things I have learned to do best with my time while being here in China, and that is to take advantage of the pampering opportunities. I spent my wages that I made from subbing and got a facial and a foot massage at the same time. I did feel a bit naughty having someone rub my head and someone else rubbing my feet, but that didn't last long!!
Of course, my favorite part of the day is when my little munchkins get off of the bus and give me big hugs!! Even on the days I don't feel like I have accomplished much, I look at El, Eens, and Coop and realize that just being their mom is enough!!
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